The 7th International Conference on Bio-Based Materials aims to provide major players from the European bio-based chemical, plastics and composite industries with an opportunity to present and discuss their latest developments and strategies.

 

Representatives of political bodies and associations will also have a say alongside leading companies. For the first time, the conference will feature a third day dedicated to start-ups to put them in touch with investors and industry. 

 

One highlight of the conference will be the presentation of the first operational European biorefineries and a status report on industrial biotechnology. It is one of the biggest conferences and provides, with more than 180 participants from all over the world and an exhibition, an excellent platform for networking!

 

The bio-based economy, and especially the area of bio-based materials, is one of the key drivers of innovative and sustainable development of the economy and industry as a whole. Bio-based plastics and their building blocks are the true centre of attention. 

 

More and more companies are entering this field, and Europe is one of the key regions – but it is under great pressure from Asia and North and South America. The 7th International Conference on Bio-Based Materials will present the leading players in this race to establish a European bio-based economy for the future.

 

Latest policies, strategies and visions for Europe’s bio-based future 

A new framework is needed to build a strong and innovative European bio-based economy – and this includes policies, investments and companies. Although European companies are among the biggest and most innovative companies in the world, particularly in the chemical and polymer industry, various barriers and hurdles must be overcome. 

 

The right frameworks and well-thought-out ideas are needed to create a perfect backbone for the development of this future economy. Leading experts have been invited to present and discuss their policies, strategies and visions for Europe’s bio-based future.

 

Rafael Cayuela from Styron Europe GmbH (CH) will discuss global trends and the future of the world-wide chemical industry, especially the role of bio-based chemistry. Prof. Dr. Stefaan de Wildeman, Aachen-Maastricht Institute for Biobased Materials (NL), sees the future in new bio-based building blocks which allow decentralised biopolymer production. Mario Bonaccorso of Assobiotec, the Italian Association for the Development of Biotechnology (I), sees great growth opportunities for the Italian economy.

 

 

Commercial biorefineries in Europe – they already exist!

Many of the discussions and research projects in Europe concentrate on biorefinery technologies. Those large integrated systems designed to produce all types of products such as fuels, chemicals and polymers from biomass are seen as the future of the bio-economy. 

 

What is generally overseen: the first biorefinery concepts are already in place and operating commercially. Lenzing from Austria produces high value textile fibres from beechwood; Arizona Chemicals is the world’s leading pine chemical company and will be presenting their Swedish biorefinery; and Borregaard from Norway and Novamont from Italy will report on their biorefinery experiences. Learn your lessons from the technology leaders.

 

Bio-based building blocks are the key to new sustainable materials

In the last few years, many new innovations have taken place in the field of bio-based building blocks and platform chemicals for the chemical industry. The field of polymers and plastics has evolved, and several innovations have been made e.g. polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxic alkanoates (PHAs), polyamides (PA) and drop-in solutions (PET, PE). But the main recent innovations have been new production plants for several bio-based building blocks like succinic acid, isobutene, butadiene, butanediol and furan-based chemicals.

 

These products will be the focus of the conference’s second day, when companies such as Reverdia (NL/F), Global Bioenergies (F) – with their latest investment in Leuna Chemical Park (DE) - SEKAB (SE), Corbion (NL), Arkema (F), SOPREMA (F), Succinity (DE/NL), Novozymes (DK), Avantium (NL) and Myriant, a special guest from the US, will present their latest innovations and investments, as well as their experiences of producing bio-based building blocks and polymers.